There was a faint smell of burnt smoke from the black smoke. Is it a fire demon?

The black smoke shouted.

「I can’t believe you’re chasing me all the way here—!」

It was the man’s side who responded to the shout.

“I’m a little persistent, Madam.”

The man smiled kindly and continued.

“What do you think? I think it’s better to stop the wasteful fight here. Let’s make a clear decision now, Madame. Will you follow me or close your eyes here forever.”

「You’re talking about killing me nicely, you arrogant bastard.」

The devil’s voice contained anger and desperation.

Argh.

Catherine vaguely seemed to know the identity pseudo-man.

‘You’re a devil hunter.’

The devil was hiding in this bed, and the man tried to buy a bed to hunt the devil. Then, what was the intention of mentioning birth?

「Ugh. I guess it’s love.」

As Meow made a sound of pain, the thick smoke spread widely. Soon, a voice rang in the back of her ear.

「Love? Loove? What nonsense are you talking about? You little soft cat!」

「What? This body is soft and small but it’s not a baby cat!」

Crack.

‘Ah, damn it.’

Catherine rubbed her forehead at the sound of the wood being shredded. Meow, furious by the expression of being small, grew its body. Huge wings grazed over her head.

“—Pure blood gargoyle? Why is there a high-ranking monster that humans can’t tame here?”

The man looked up at Meow with an absurd look. Meanwhile, the left pillar of the bed was broken in half. Meow chased after the smoke, ruining every piece of furniture that came to his feet. There was nothing as messy as this.

“Wait!”

Catherine threw herself and clung to the back of the Meow. Soft hair was caught between her fingers.

“Calm down. Calm down and reduce your body, Meow.”

「This old woman saw me like that!」

「Old woman? Kyaa! This crazy cat!」

Whoa. She grabbed Meow’s neck trying to run wild again and stroked it slowly.

“If you run around like that, this remaining bed will collapse. Do you understand what I mean?”

In fact, it has already collapsed, but—.

Whether her words worked, Meow’s large size quickly decreased. Returning as a fist-sized kitten, Meow crawled into the bag.

「Really! It’s so annoying!」

But it’s true that it’s small now. The pride of a monster is also difficult to understand.

Clap clap clap.

She heard a sudden clap from somewhere. A pseudo-man was nodding in admiration.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a gargoyle, even a pure-blooded gargoyle, who is said to never disobey humans, behaving like a dog. Thanks to the Lady, I saw a rare scene.”

「I’m not a dog! I’m Meow!」

Haha. It was a brief moment of laughter. The man’s long arms pierced the black smoke and gripped the air. The action shook the smoke violently.

“Then— Madame Pompadou?” (??? ??)

The smoke entity gradually begins to take shape. The black smoke that had covered the floor and ceiling slowly gathered to one place. After a while, she appeared as a beautiful black-haired woman in an old-fashioned dress.

Madame Pompadou, the devil who returned to human form, had a calm and gentle atmosphere.

The large, heavy ribbon that adorned the long brim hat couldn’t fit. She is a woman like a rose, with alluring red lips and a black dot under her right eye that is very impressive.

Madame Pompadou stared at the man with a sharp look. The man’s hand held her thin and long neck.

“Hurry up and answer.”

Madame Pompadou burst into laughter at the urging voice.

“Ha. I can’t understand it at all. Why are you trying to seize my life?”

“Without us, Madame will soon be a disaster on the earth.”

“Don’t recklessly judge my future. You’ve lived about 20 years more than I have.”

20 years? Could it be that the man’s identity was also a demon? But I don’t think one of the man’s eyes are purple?

‘Wait. Madame’s eyes are not purple either.’

The man smiled and said.

“Madame Pompadou. Don’t try to deny reality. The end of an unstable Nephilim like Madame is set. Find your owner by contract, or become a living disaster.”

Nephilim.

Mixed race between devil and human.

‘Ah—’

Then all questions were answered. The reason why the man pointed at her and said nonsense, and the reason he threatened Madame Pompadou in front of him.

Nephilim are born with very strong power. Most of them have the ability to invalidate magic, magic-friendly, and have a lifespan nearly twice that of a human.

However, lifespan here refers to the period in which the Nephilim maintain human reason. Nephilim, who have passed their lifespan, can’t control their power and are tainted with madness, turning into a living disaster.

There is only one way to maintain reason. It was to sign a contract with an outstanding wizard to share power.

Because the Nephilim were treated as devils with a human mind, wizards were reluctant to make a contract. Their existence was always threatened with life because they were traded at a high price in the afterlife. This was one of the reasons why many Nephilim entrusted themselves to the state.

‘Is there a slight difference between me and the devil and the monster’s scent that come out? That’s why he mistook it for nephilim.’

Apparently, the man was a very powerful magician. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have noticed her energy, which would have been detected only as a cardinal, and he wouldn’t have noticed her resisting the magic of time.

‘In any case, because of the invalidate of magic, no magic of time is work—’

“You’re talking for a long time that you’re going to sign a contract with me and for me to survive!”

So, it means that her lifespan is just around the corner.

Nephilim who don’t have contractors until they reach their lifespan are hunted. It is to cut sprouts in advance before it becomes a disaster.

The man shook his head with a calm face.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t choose me. There are plenty of talented wizards on our side as well. It’s up to you to choose the one that Madame likes among them.”

“How can they stand with my power?”

“There must be three or four.”

Isn’t that just one man? She thought that maybe he could be a royal wizard sent from the kingdom. In any case, there is no room for Catherine to intervene. She hoped that this situation would be resolved quickly and the magic would be resolved.

「Poor old lady.」

Meow, who was watching the confrontation between the two, clicked its tongue.

「Powerful wizards only try to dominate Nephilim and the devil. But not for Catherine.」

..Me?

Hey, that’s because I’m not a wizard.

「That man’s eyes are impure, too. Apparently, it’s the same as other wizards. But not for our Catherine.」

Why is this suddenly like this? Catherine grabbed Meow’s small snout with her hand.

“Be quiet, Meow.”

It’s not about meddling in other people’s fights. Especially in this state, the shrimp might burst in a whale fight.

However, the cat’s babbling seemed to have reached the ears of Madame Pompadou. She pushed the hand of the man who was strangling her, and asked Catherine.

“Lady, are you a wizard?”

“I’m not.”

Said Meow, who twisted its head and ran away from Catherine’s grasp.

「Our Catherine is an aspiring wizard. But the future is bright because it has the ability to invalidate magic!」

“Hoo?”

Unfortunately, Catherine had no magical talent. She was a credible evaluation because it came from her mother’s mouth.

“Where’s her house?”

「It’s Christopher.」

“What about her family?”

「One gardener and one maid.」

“What’s her hobby?”

「Petted me!」

“What’s her specialty?”

「Huh? I don’t know. Maybe cleaning?」

“..Excuse me?”

Why does she keep talking to Meow, leaving her as the person involved? Didn’t they have a fight until now?

Madame Pompadou, who slowly closed her eyes with her chin raised, pointed at Catherine with a white finger.

“Okay. I’ll go with this Lady.”

What?

“Pretty, naive, and even competent Lady, it’s the best. Did you hear that, Giovanne? I’m signing a contract with this lady, neither you nor your family. Oh, my. I’m so lucky. A wizard with your rare magic invalidation is caught!”

Catherine hurriedly waved her hand, wondering what kind of nonsense this was.

“Wait. I don’t want to sign a contract with you though?”

“Huh? Why?”

Why? There were so many reasons, it took her quite a while to think about it.

First of all, Catherine wasn’t a wizard, and had an Great Devil as a contractor, so she needed his permission to meet a new one.

‘Otherwise, he’s going to be angry and asking if I’m going to be two-timing like last time.’

Apart from this or that, Catherine had no intention of making a contract with the new devil. She’ll be suffocating with just the members of her mansion right now, but if more is added here —.

While Catherine was sick and tired of it, Madame Pompadou rushed over to her.

“What am I lacking? Huh? I’m the best Nephilim coveted by wizards. Why would Giovanne come all the way here to catch me?”

Giovanne? She has heard of this name somewhere.

“Up until recently, it looked like it was insignificant because it was attached to the bed, but I’m a useful Nephilim from now on. How many political figures I am close with on this ship? There are more than 20 faces that come to mind right away. How much wealth do you have? All of us. I can share for the lady—”

I was thinking about how to reject this passionate woman. Mrs. Pompadou, who suddenly stopped talking, blinked her big eyes and closed her lips. As if looking at the surrounding footsteps, she slowly began to step back.

“Oh no, I took too long. Then, Lady? Think seriously—.”

“Is it Nephilim without its owner?”

It was a voice that was literally engraved in the air.

Catherine couldn’t adapt to the sudden darkness and shook her head. Now that she looked at it, it wasn’t dark in view, but something black appeared only in front.

Back in a dark gray suit.

It was Cesare’s back that blocked her.

“Are your lifespan over?”

Sneakily moved to the side. A long index finger lightly lifted Mrs. Pompadou’s chin.

The owner of the chin lowered her eyes with a pale face. Unlike before, it was frozen with extreme fear.

“You’re on board without fear.”

Cesare then lowered his hand as if not interested. At the same time, the surrounding air, which had been frozen hard, regained its warmth.

People in the exhibition hall moved back casually, talked, and burst into laughter. The furniture and ceiling that had been broken by Meow’s chaos had returned to their original state.

Just as time stopped was all a fantasy.

“Lady, are you okay?”

Damian, the only one who noticed the magic, asked Catherine.

“I think so.”